Indonesia's PPATK proposes major 2027 budget boost to curb gambling
Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) has requested an additional Rp516.4 billion (US$31.7 million) in funding for 2027, with the agency saying the increase is needed to strengthen efforts against money laundering, terrorism financing and online gambling.
The proposed increase would raise PPATK’s total 2027 budget requirement to Rp769.8 billion ($47.3 million), up from the indicative ceiling of Rp253.3 billion ($15.5 million) set by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas).
Speaking during a working meeting with Commission III of Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) on 17 June, PPATK head Ivan Yustiavandana said the agency hoped the request would be considered during the budget ceiling determination process scheduled for July 2026.
“Respected leaders and members of the DPR Commission III, we hope that this can be fulfilled at the budget ceiling determination stage in July 2026,” Ivan said.
The proposed increase forms part of PPATK’s efforts to optimise financial intelligence capabilities and support national programmes aimed at tracking transactions linked to criminal activity.
“PPATK affirms its commitment to consistently manage the budget in a transparent, accountable, effective, and efficient manner, in line with performance targets,” Ivan said during the parliamentary hearing.
Funding priorities
According to PPATK, Rp106.1 billion ($6.5 million) of the proposed increase would be allocated to internal management, operational expenditure and employee-related costs.
The remaining Rp410.3 billion ($25.2 million) would be directed towards prevention and enforcement programmes. These include transaction analysis and inspection activities, management of reporting data and compliance monitoring, domestic and international cooperation on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, information technology management, legal and regulatory development, policy formulation, and education and training programmes.
Ivan said the additional resources were necessary to support the implementation of priority programmes designed to strengthen Indonesia’s financial intelligence framework and combat a range of financial crimes.
The agency’s existing indicative allocation for 2027 remains heavily weighted towards operational expenses. PPATK said Rp252.7 billion ($15.5 million) is earmarked for office operations, Rp206 billion ($12.6 million) for salaries and allowances, Rp26.7 billion ($1.6 million) for office maintenance and operations, and Rp19.3 billion ($1.2 million) for information technology maintenance.
An additional Rp660 million ($40,500) has been allocated for analysis and examination activities related to the narcotics sector.
Parliament backs proposal
The request received support from members of Commission III. Martin Daniel Tumbeleka, a member of the commission representing the Gerindra Party, said the proposed increase reflected the expanding role of PPATK in tackling financial crime.
“PPATK must be able to trace, freeze, confiscate, and most importantly, recover criminal assets. This work will not be optimal if the budget is too small,” Martin said.
His comments come as Indonesian authorities continue to broaden their focus from traditional anti-money laundering investigations to tackling the financial infrastructure supporting online gambling networks.
Gambling enforcement remains a priority
The proposed budget increase comes amid heightened concerns over online gambling activity in Indonesia, particularly around major sporting events.
On 16 June, Ivan said PPATK had detected signs of increased online gambling deposit activity ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to the agency, transaction patterns resembled those observed before previous major football tournaments.
PPATK found that Indonesia’s national QR code payment system, QRIS, was being used for football betting activities in a manner similar to other online gambling deposits. The agency also identified the use of nominee bank accounts purchased through account trading schemes to disguise the movement of gambling funds.
Ivan said PPATK was working closely with the Indonesian National Police and regional law enforcement agencies to anticipate a potential rise in gambling-related transactions during the tournament, which began on 12 June and runs until 20 July.
National Police chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has also reactivated the Anti-Football Mafia Task Force as part of efforts to prevent illegal gambling and match-fixing activities linked to the competition.
Building financial intelligence capabilities
PPATK has indicated that strengthening financial intelligence remains central to its long-term strategy. In a statement following the parliamentary meeting, the agency said its priorities for the coming years include optimising financial intelligence capabilities, preparing for the Financial Action Task Force’s Mutual Evaluation Review (MER) for 2029-2030, and strengthening Indonesia’s digital ecosystem through the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies.
PPATK said stronger institutional capacity and adequate funding would help Indonesia improve its resilience against money laundering and support its ambition to secure full membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The agency reported that as of 31 May 2026, budget realisation had reached 60.3 per cent. It also highlighted that it had maintained an unqualified audit opinion for 20 consecutive years.
Online gambling activity remains significant
The budget request follows a year in which Indonesian authorities reported progress in reducing the scale of online gambling transactions, although participation levels remained high.
Earlier this year, PPATK reported that money circulating through online gambling activities fell by 20 per cent in 2025. Total turnover reached Rp286.84 trillion ($19 billion), down from Rp359.81 trillion ($24 billion) in 2024.
Despite the decline, PPATK recorded 422.1 million online gambling transactions during 2025, with total deposits reaching Rp36.01 trillion (US$2.4 billion).
The agency also reported that 12.3 million people made online gambling deposits through banks, e-wallets and QRIS during the year.
Authorities attributed the reduction in turnover and deposit volumes to coordinated enforcement efforts involving government agencies, law enforcement bodies and private-sector stakeholders. However, the latest budget proposal indicates that Indonesian authorities continue to view online gambling and associated financial crime as a major enforcement challenge requiring sustained investment in financial intelligence, technology and investigative capabilities.
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